Airlines Lounges Could be Your Office Away from Home.

The time that business travelers must spend in airports waiting for flights can be highly productive work time.  Free from coworkers and other office distractions, you can catch up on emails, revise presentations or read sales forecasts to your heart's content - that is, if you can find a reasonable quite area, a comfortable place to sit, an electrical plug for your laptop, and a reliable wi-fi connection.

While this combination of things can be hard to find in your average airport, all of them and more are available in the airline club lounges maintained by many major airlines.  These lounges are like private clubs, offering a quiet sanctuary for their members.  They are also designed o accommodate the needs of frequent business travelers, with well-equipped workspaces, private meeting rooms, wi-fi, fax machines and other business services.  Some have showers for travelers who need to freshen up after an overnight flight; a few even have swimming pools and exercise facilities.

Most airline club lounges have complimentary beverages and food, so you don't even have to venture into the terminal to find something to snack on.  Some even include actual meal service.  And, all are staffed by airline personnel who can assist you in the case of a flight delay or cancellation.

Larger airlines operate dozens of lounges in the airports they serve around the world, while smaller airlines tend to offer lounges only in their hub locations.  Some airlines offer free club memberships to their elite travelers, but most business travelers gain access by purchasing a membership.  Memberships for the major airline clubs are about $400 to $500 per year, although you can usually pay with an equivalent number of that airline's frequent flier miles.

An airline club membership can be well worth the price when you consider what you would otherwise spend on airport wi-fi access and meals in the course of a year's travel, to say nothing of the increased productivity made possible in a club's quiet, comfortable environment.

If you want to "try before you buy," most airline clubs sell one-day access for about $50 - an expense that makes a $500 annual membership an even better deal.  Once you experience the comfort and convenience of an airline club, you'll probably be eager to purchase a full membership.